Amusement device



Sept. 13, 1932. A. J. A. GIRAUD 1,877,556

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Oct. 24. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 p 13, 1932- A. J. A. GIRAUD 1,877,656

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Oct. 24. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 13, 1932 a UNITED. STATES PATENT oFFIce s is e15 ANDRE JULES ACHILLE GIRAURVOF PARIS, FRANCE AMUSEMENT pnvr'cn V p Application filed October 24, 1929, Seriar no 'aoaose, and in France as 8, 1929:

A great many nonresident entertainment structures comprise a plurality of carriages adapted for rotation about an individual pivot, the pivots being'themselves mounted 5 on a support to which a particular movement is imparted. a

In some of the latest embodimentsv of such type of entertainment structures the pivots of the carriages are guided through an oval or elliptical path and the momentary action of the centrifugal force is, used to produce a rotation of the carriages about their; respective pivots. w r

In some other structures the said, rotation is, obtained throughthe direct action of the occupants of the carriage, by means of a rope secured to another point of the rotating systems r "Entertainment structures in which carriages are imparted with a compound movementcso that they may rotate about a vertical axis which in turn rotates about another vertical axis, are also well known;

This invention relates to devices of this pe," and its main object consists in the use of special means for producing the said compound movement. f 7 f These means comprise, brakes which are opposed to the movement of the carriages,

the said brakes being operable in any man- 'ner. p s

This invention has forits further object an entertainment structure in which the centrifugal force is at all times taken advantage of 3-5 in that the pivots of the various carirages describe a circumference. The rotation of the 5 carriages about these pivots is obtained, ac- V cordlng to this inventlon, by so influencing- 40 the angular speed of the said pivots, or the angular, speed of the centers of gravity of the carriages as to create a difference between both angular speeds which normally would be equal in the freely moving system.

These angular speed differences are the cause of the rotational movement of the carriages and not the effect thereof as in such structures where the single cause of the rotation resides in the traction 011a rope.

Inthe drawings and by way of example,

Figure 1 is "roundabout. a a

Figure 2 1 is'a spring device for :the car- 'riaesfl n J p M I igure 3 is a braking device fitted on every carriage. l j

- Figure; is a lockingdevice. I

Figure 5 is a release for the locking dea general plan viewlof'the vice. 1

' The carriages l are mounted upon pivotal rollers running ona track. They are adapted torotate about "pivots 2 by which-they are secured totriangular ironframes 3. The frames 3 are rigid with either the 'centerof 'the roundabout: or a spur ring 4; The

' whole-center of the roundabout 'or'on1y the said spurring is rotated about the center thereof by 'means; of a suitable mechanism.

Therefore, the pivots 2' describe a circum- I 'ference and their motion is imparted to the carriages which soon take such-aposition by virtue of the centrifugal force thatgtheir centers of gravity are'thrown out at a' maximum distance from thecenter ofthe round- 7 about, which is the position assumed by the carriage A Therefore, the centers of gravity of the carriages alsodescribe acircumference and the angularlspeed of these centers of gravity is equal to' that'of thepivots 2. The objectof the invention is to'obtain a deformation in the moving system, i. e.' to cause the carriages to rotateabout their pivots 2 by setting up a difference between-these angular speeds, said difference being: the cause of the deformation in the moving sys- The' carriages are provided with a singIe or multiple spring device adapted on one] hand to limit the amplitude of'their rotation about the pivot 2 and onthe other hand to favourthe thus limited oscillations about said pivot. f

Figure 2 showsan embodiment'ofthe said spring device. A tension spring 5 has one end thereof secured to a center pin 6 rigid with the frame 3 while the other end of the spring is secured toa cente pin 7 rigid with the carriage 1.

It will be appreciated that if the speed of the spur ring 4-be varied suddenly by either increasing or decreasing it, the carriages by virtue of their inertia will swing about their pivots 2 in one direction or the other. These rapid increases in speed may be obtained, for instance, by accelerating the engine or, preferably, by means of a very progressive clutch which iscaused to slide at a given moment, after which it is roughly thrown in.

Decreases in the speed can be obtained, for instance, by slowing down the engine or on any part of the moving system or, again, by the partial disengagement of the clutch.

The angular setting of the carriageswith' respect to their position of balance A in the moving system depends on the intensity of such increase or decrease. The anglemay baa-very small one but a greater angle of oscillation can then be obtained by repeating the operation, that is, on the said small deflection being produced the overcome centrifugal force and that of the spring will restitu'tetlie stored energy and initiate a series of moderate oscillations; at this moment, the contrary operation done upon the speed will increasesuch energy restitution and allow to-obtain a deflection increased by an amount due to this additional and reverse operation. It is thus possible to progressively augment the deflection at each oscillation. A highly progressive clutch member will be sufiicient by itself to provide theseincreases and decreases in the speed. By suitably timing the-operation of this coupling member to the motion obtained in the first oscillation, however small it may be, a continuous swinging motion of the carriage about the pivot 2 can be obtained and even maintained.

.=;The difierence in angular speed can be ob- .tained, instead of by influencing the speed of circular motion of the pivots 2, by varying the speed of circular movement of thecenter of gravity of the carriage.

While the first oscillation can be produced .by either increasing or decreasing the said speed, it will be easier to decrease the same by means, for instance, of a braking device fitted upon each'carriage.

The braking action can exist only between the carriages and any other movable or stationary portion independent of the moving system. This braking action by influencing the angular speed will cause the deformation ofthe moving system, that is, the swinging about the pivots 2. This arrangement has nothing in common with that consisting in acting between the portions of the moving system to setup a direct deformation, but one diflicult to obtain.

Figure 3 shows a possible embodiment of the braking means. The occupant of the car riage depresses a pedal 8 which through a set of transmissionmembers 9 actuates a brake shoe 10 which comes into lighter or the carriage swings about the pivot 2 in the I direction contrary to the direction of rotation. of the roundabout. Instead of stopping the swinging motion these brake applications favour the same by virtue of the movement composition with respect to the track. the application of-any other braking device The-carriages 'iiiay-be fitted with a locking means as shown by way of example in Figure 4, which comprises a rod 11 one end 12 of carriage. about the pivot 2 will throughthe intermediary of the said rod 11 shift the member 14; which can engage into another stationary member 15 of latch-like construction. 1 v

In thismanner, when the carriage has been swung beyond a certain amplitude, the sliding member 14 becomes locked by the said latch, whereby the rod 11 and the carriage are locked; Thelatch' 15 which looks the member 14 carries a wedge-like member 16 which comes into engagement with another member .1? arranged on the track, whereby the latch is raised and the sliding member 1a andthe carriage itself are unlocked. The said member 17 which can bearranged at one or more places on the track is adapted to slide in a guide actuated from the centre of the roundabout whereby it can be placed in the path of the member 16 or away therefrom, which allows the carriage to be unlocked or not at the .will of the operator in charge of the roundabout in order to cause an effect of unexpectedness on the people in the carriages What I claim is: 7 1. In'an amusement device, in combination with a member rotatable about a vertical axis, a plurality-of carriages rotatable with said member and adapted to roll on a horizontal surface, a pivotal connection" between .each of said carriages and said member, whereby sa1d member and carr ages may be propelled at the same angular speed, and means for modifying at. will the angular speed ofsaid carriages independently of the angular speed of said member, said means including an element engageable' with the orizontal surface.

means being carried by said carriages and acting by friction with the said horizontal surface, said braking means being located within the polygon of sustentation of said .5 carriages.

3. An amusement device as set forth in claim 2, wherein the said carriages are provided with a pedal for operating the brake, the said pedal being actuatable by the users of said carriages.

V 4:. In an amusement device, in combination with a member rotatable about a' vertical axis, a plurality of carriages rotatable with said member and adapted to roll on a hri-- zontal surface, a pivotal connection between each of said carriages and said member, cooperating locking means carried by said member and each of said carriages, whereby the carriages are positivelylocked to said member when swinging a predetermined amount about said pivotal connection, and means for releasing said locking means comprising a stop carried by the horizontal surface, and an element carried by each of the carriages.

In testimony'whereof I aflix my signature.

ANDRE .muas ACHILLE cumun. 

